Aerosmith shocked fans by announcing their retirement from touring in August of 2024. The announcement meant the end of hearing Steven Tyler’s incomparable vocals in a live setting. While we will always have their vast catalog to return to, we thought it apt to look back at Tyler’s best live vocal moments. Check out three of our favorites, below.
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3 of Steven Tyler’s Best Live Vocal Moments
1. “Dream On” with H.E.R. (2020)
Being able to hit the banshee like high note in “Dream On” at any point in one’s life is a feat, but to be able to hit it consistently for decades is something else in entirely. In 2020, Tyler proved that he still had the chops to bring this power ballad to life, soaring right through that impressive note in the breakdown. Hearing Tyler nail that note will never get old.
Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter and sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it’s just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away
2. Abbey Road Medley (2010)
Having the Beatles’ catalog to play around with bodes well for the success of a live performance. On the other hand, it ups the stakes. The Beatles are beloved by millions, so getting it right is paramount. In Tyler case, he not only got it right when he delivered an Abbey Road medley in 2010, but he even impressed Paul McCartney himself. Part of Tyler’s appeal as a performer is his energy, but we can’t deny how stellar his vocals are either. He proved he could hang with almost anybody with this Beatles tribute performance.
Oh yeah, all right
Are you going to be in my dreams
Tonight?
And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make
3. “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (2016)
Though some fans might have seen it as schmaltzy when it was first released, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” has stood the test of time. For all its melodrama, it’s the perfect showcase of Tyler’s voice. He proves he can do intimate, slow notes and impossibly high ones. In 2016, he delivered just about as perfect a performance of this song as anyone could hope for.
Don’t wanna close my eyes
I don’t wanna to fall asleep
‘Cause I’d miss you baby
And I don’t wanna miss a thing
‘Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I’d still miss you baby
And I don’t wanna miss a thing
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ian Dickson/Shutterstock
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